Hair disposal unit and attachment



1965 P. VERCELLOTTI 3,203,747

HAIR DISPOSAL UNIT AND ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 8, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTOR.

PLHLLIP VERCELLO'TT\ ATTO R N EYE g- 1965 P. VERCELLOTTI 3,203,747

HAIR DISPOSAL UNIT AND ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 8, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Pumu VE EQELLOTTI BY n Q 4.5 %%wazgflmm A-r-roeuevs United States Patent 3,263,747 HAIR DISPGSAL UNIT A'ND ATTACHMENT Phillip Vercellotti, R1). #1, Triadelphia, W. Va. Filed Nov. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 322,379 2 Claims. (CL 312-242) This invention relates to disposal devices, and more particularly to a wall attachment for the disposal of hair which has collected in a brush or comb while using same.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wall attachment for the disposal of hair which has collected in a brush or comb, or for lint, bits of paper, fragments of tissue paper, or the like, the attachment being simple in construction, being easy t install, and providing a convenient and useful means of disposing of hair or other debris so that such debris will not collect on floors, sinks, or be flushed through a commode, to possibly clog or hinder free drainage therethrough.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved disposal attachment for collecting hair from a brush or comb, or for collecting other light debris, such as lint, bits of paper, fragments of tissue paper, or the the like, the attachment being inexpensive to fabricate, being neat in appearance, being normally 'held closed, but being easy to open in order to place hair or other debris therein.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a fragmentary por tion of a wall provided with an improved disposal attachment according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the closure plate of the attachment swung to an open position.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the various par-ts of the attachment of FIGURES 1 and 2, said parts being shown in separated positions.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the disposal attachment of FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 7--7 of FIGURE 6.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a disposal assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention, said assembly being shown in FIG- URES l, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 as being mounted in a wall 12, for example, in a bathroom wall. The attachment 11 comprises a receiving chamber 13 which is integrally formed with the outwardly extending, generally rectangular mounting flange 14, the chamber having a generally cylindrical body portion 15 which merges with a substantially hemi-spherical inner portion 16, said inner portion being provided with the outwardly projecting conduit element 17. Designated at 18 is a sheet metal lining member comprising a generally cylindrical body 19 formed with a rectangular outwardly projecting flange 29, the body 19 being adapted to receive the cylindrical main body portion 15 of the member 13 with the flange 20 underlying the flange 14. The cylindrical body 19 of the lining member 18 is slotted, as shown at 21, to define a plurality of spaced bendable fingers 22 which may be bent so as to extend substantially parallel to the flange 20, whereby to retain the lining member in an aperture 23 formed in the wall 12, as is clearly illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. Since the Wall 12 is ordinarily of plaster or of similar material wherein it is not possible to "Ice obtain a smooth aperture, the lining member 18 serves to shield the edges of the aperture so as to present a smooth circular opening in which the member 13 may be relatively snugly received.

Designated at 23 is a relatively thick outer facing plate which may be of any suitable material having substantial rigidity, the plate member 23 being formed with an aperture 24 somewhat larger in size than and registrable with the rim of the body portion 15 of member 13 and being further formed with diagonally opposed rectangular notches 25 and 26. Designated at 27 is a generally circular closure member formed with diagonally opposite, generally rectangular lugs 28 and 29 receivable respectively in the notches 25 and 26, the lug being provided with oppositely extending pivot pins 29' which are receivable in hollow pivot lugs 30, 30 formed on the front surface of plate member 23 at the opposite side edges of the notch 25. The rectangular lug 29 is adapted to be received in the notch 26 when the closure member 27 is in closed position, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The lug 29 is formed with a beveled recess 31 at its front edge to define a lip or flange 32 to facilitate engagement of the lug by a fingernail for the purpose of swinging the closure member 27 to an open position.

Secured to the margin of the inner face of the generally circular closure member 27 is an annular sealing gasket 33 of suitable resilient deformable material adapted to make sealing contact with the rim of the cylindrical body portion 15 of the chamber 13, the aperture 24 being sufficiently large to admit the circular closure member 27 therein, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 4.

The closure member 27 has a generally spherical contour but is formed with a circular flattened portion 34 adjacent the hinge lug 28, said flattened portion 34 being engageable with a permanently magnetized member 35 mounted on the plate 23 outwardly adjacent the notch 25, to hold the closure member 27 in an open position, said closure member being formed of magnetic material. As shown in FIGURES l and 2, the magnetic holding member 35 has an inclined front face against which the flattened portion 34 is engageable, whereby the permanently magnetized member 35 may exert a strong magnetic attraction on the closure member 27 and hold same open until said closure member is manually moved away from the permanently magnetized member 35, for example, to close the device. The closure member 27 is biased toward closing position by conventional spring means 38 provided at its hinge connections, for example, by coiled springs surrounding the pins 29' and bearing at one end on the flange 14 at one end and on the lug 28 at the other end, as shown in FIGURE 5 whereby to bias the closure member 27 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 5, namely, toward its closing position.

A conventional control switch 40 is provided, said switch being secured to the plate member 23 and being held behind the flange 14, for example, by fastening screws 41, 41, the switch being received in a rectangular aperture 42 provided in flange 20. The switch 40 is electrically connected in the energizing circuit of the motor of a vacuum unit mounted in any suitable location and connected by a conduit 43 to the conduit element 17 of chamber 13. The switch 40 is provided with control buttons 44 and 45 for energizing and deenergizing the vacuum unit.

In using the device, the closure member 27 is swung to an open position and the switch button 44 is pressed, thereby energizing the associated vacuum unit, providing vacuum in the chamber 13. The comb, brush, or other object to be cleared of hair or other loose material is then held in front of the aperture 24, as shown in FIG- URE 2 in dotted view, whereby the loose material is removed by the comb or brush by the vacuum in the chamher 13 and is drawn through conduit element 17 and conduit 43 to the vacuum collection unit, which is provided with a suitable collection bag. The vacuum unit is of conventional construction, and the bag thereof is adapted to be detached and emptied, as required After the device has been used as above described, the closure member 27 is disengaged from the magnetic holding member 35 and is allowed to close by the biasing force of its spring means 38. The vacuum unit may be deenergized by pressing the shut-of]. control button 45.

While a specific embodiment of an improved attachment for disposing of loose hair which has collected in a brush or comb, or of other loose debris has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposal unit comprising a receiving chamber having a substantially hemi-spherical inner portion provided with a conduit adapted to be connected to a vacuum line, flange means on said chamber for supporting the chamber in an aperture in a wall, a closure plate, means hingedly supporting said closure plate adjacent the edge of said chamber in closing relation to the chamber, means biasing said closure plate toward closed position over said chamber, sealing means between the peripheral marging of the closure plate and said flange means, said closure plate having a generally hemi-spherical convex outer contour and being of magnetic material and having a flattened face portion, and a permanent magnet mounted on said flange means being engageable by said flattened face portion when said closure plate is in its open posi- 4% tion, whereby to hold the closure plate in said open position.

2. A disposal unit comprising a receiving chamber having a substantially hemi-spherical inner portion provided with a conduit adapted to be connected to a vacuum line, flange means on said chamber for supporting the chamber in an aperture in a wall, a closure plate, means hingedly supporting said closure plate adjacent the edge of said chamber in closing relation to the chamber, a generally rectangular finger lug projecting from said closure plate opposite its hinged connection, said flange means being formed with a rectangular notch to receive said finger lug when the closure plate is in closed position, means biasing said closure plate toward said closed position, sealing means between the peripheral margin of the closure plate and said flange means, said closure plate being of magnetic material, and a permanent magnet on said flange means adjacent the hinge connection of said closure plate and being engageable by said closure plate when it is in an open position, whereby to hold the closure plate in said open position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 857,176 6/07 Hubbell 22024.3 920,722 5/09 Bridges 22024.3 X 2,815,236 12/57 Lowinski 292251.5 2,867,345 1/59 Bellek 220--24.3 2,879,124 3/59 Maxfield 3l2-223 X 3,079,032 2/63 Dorey 30252 X FRANK B, SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

1. A DISPOSAL UNIT COMPRISING A RECEIVING CHAMBER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HEMI-SPHERICAL INNER PORTION PROVIDED WITH A CONDUIT ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A VACUUM LINE, FLANGE MEANS ON SAID CHAMBER FOR SUPPORTING THE CHAMBER IN AN APERTURE IN A WALL, A CLOSURE PLATE, MEANS HINGEDLY SUPPORTING SAID CLOSURE PLATE ADJACENT THE EDGE OF SAID CHAMBER IN CLOSING RELATION TO THE CHAMBER, MEANS BIASING SAID CLOSURE PLATE TOWARD CLOSED POSITION OVER SAID CHAMBER, SEALING MEANS BETWEEN THE PERIPHERAL MARGING OF RHE CLOSURE PLATE AND FLANGE MEANS, SAID CLOSURE PLATE HAVING A GENERALLY HEMI-SPHERICAL CONVEX OUTER CONTOUR AND BEING OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL AND HAVING 